Ongoing Escalation Against Gaza, 7 Killed, Dozens Injured

As the Israeli army continued its offensive against several parts of the Gaza Strip, the number of casualties arrived to seven, including two children, while dozens of civilians were injured. The army targeted several homes, security and training centers, and border tunnels. Palestinian Fighters Fired missiles and shells into Israeli areas in the Negev, several injuries were reported.The Israeli Army bombarded a site for the Al Qassam Brigades of Hamas in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and also bombarded the As-Safeena Palestinian Security base and a number of homes.

Medical sources reported that Mahmoud Abu Samra, 13, was killed and 17 members of his family, including women and children, were injured after the army bombarded their home in Al Sudaniyya area in Gaza City. Excessive damage to nearby homes was also reported.

Shortly after midnight, the Israeli Air Force bombarded a home near a former security center in Beit Lahia leading to excessive damage.

Minutes later, the army fired at least three missiles at the Ansar Center that belongs to the Hamas-led government in Gaza, leading to excessive damage to the center and nearby structures. Three residents, including a medic, were injured.

In Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Air Force fired at least one missile into Abasan village, east of the Khan Younis refugee camp. Another missile landed and detonated in an open area close to a local mosque.
One missile was also fired into another training center that belongs to the Al Qassam brigades, west of Khan Younis.

Two more air strikes targeted Khuzaâ€™a town, east of Khan Younis, and Al Amal neighbored west of the city, leading to excessive damage and anxiety attacks amongst the children.

Furthermore, the Israeli Air Force carried out two air strikes apparently targeting border tunnels in Rafah, in southern Gaza; excessive damage was reported.

On Thursday evening, six Palestinians, including a child, were killed in Al Shuouth area in Rafah, in southern Gaza. They slain residents were identified as Kamal Al Nairab, Imad Hamed, Khaled Shaath, Imad Nassr, Khaled Al Masry, and Malak Khaled Shaath (2 years old). Kamal Al Nairab, head of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) in Gaza.

Israel believes that Imad Hammad is in charge of the military activities of the PRC in Gaza, and that Khaled Shaath was involved in the kidnapping of Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, in 2006. The Israeli Shin Bet security service also suspects that Hamed was behind the planning of the Thursday attack in Eilat.

Other air strikes targeted an area close to Um Al Nasr Bedouin village, in Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that Israel war jets can be still seen hovering over several parts of the Gaza Strip leading to fears of a further Israeli military escalation.

On Friday morning, Palestinian fighters fired a Grad Missile into Beâ€™er Sheva, and also fired several shells towards Ashdod, Ashkelon and several others areas leading to six injuries, one seriously, the Israeli Radio reported.

Two missiles were also fired into Sdot Negev Regional Council and Shear Hanegev area leading to no damages or injuries, according to the Israeli Radio.

Four Grad missiles were fired on Thursday at night into Ashkelon and were reportedly intercepted by the Iron Dome system. Israel also deployed new Iron Dome interception systems in Beâ€™er Sheva.

Israel daily, Haaretz, reported that at least 10 Grad rockets and Qassam shells were fired from the Gaza Strip on Friday, one day after the attack that targeted a military bus near Eilat, killing nine Israelis.

Haaretz said that the rockets were fired on Friday morning into Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat and Beâ€™er Sheva leading to seven injuries. It added that most of the rockets landed in open areas, yet, one missile struck a building in Ashdod Industrial Park, inflicting six injuries, one seriously.

Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Thursday evening that six Palestinians, including a senior resistance leader, and a child, were killed when the Israeli Air Force fired missiles into a home in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. A Child was also killed and five residents were injured when the army bombarded Gaza City.

The sources stated that the Israeli Air Force fired a missile at the house of one of the leaders of the Popular Resistance Committees in Al Shoâ€™outh neighborhood in Rafah, killing six Palestinians.

Three of them are leaders of the Popular Resistance committees, while one of the three was identified as Awad An-Nairab, the Secretary-General of the Committees.
Adham Abu Salmiyya, spokesperson of the Emergency and Medical Services in Gaza, reported that the bodies of four of the slain residents were severely mutilated due to the blast, and that one of them is 2-year-old child.

Besides An-Nairab, the slain residents were identified as Imad Hammad, leader of the Salah Ed-Deen Brigades, Khaled Shaath, and his son Malak, 2 years old, Imad Nassr, and Khaled Al Masry.

In another Israeli military escalation, a 13-year-old child was killed, and 18 other civilians were injured when the army bombarded several areas in northern Gaza and in Gaza City.

The child was identified as Mahmoud Abu Samra. Children and women were among the wounded; they were all moved to the Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

The large number of casualties came due to Israeli army bombardment of a home in northern Gaza and a home west Gaza City.

Local sources reported that the Israeli Army and Air Force bombarded several targets in the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip, including a training site for the Al Qassam Brigades of Hamas west of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

Two more areas were bombarded east of Khan Younis, in addition to a target in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, leading to explosions in Gaza pipelines and destruction to several structures.

On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, vowed to strike Gaza following attacks that targeted Eilat Coastal city, leading to the death of eight Israelis and the injury of more than twenty, five seriously. Barak said that the attackers came from the Gaza Strip.

Haaretz added that the fighters killed eight Israelis and wounded more than 30 others in the attack.

It stated that this attack was planned by the Popular Resistance Committee in the Gaza Strip, and that the fighters managed to infiltrate from the Gaza Strip into the Sinai desert through tunnels, and then travelled nearly 200 kilometers to an area that is only protected with tattered wire fence, 15 kilometers north of Eilat. They then opened fire at a bus carrying Israeli soldiers north of Netafim Crossing.

Haaretz further stated that the soldiers managed to kill five of the fighters while the Egyptian Security Forces killed two of them. Israel believes that at least 15-20 fighters participated in the attack, and that most of them managed to escape.

The army believes that the fighters intended to kidnap an Israeli soldier, and that, due to previous warnings, troops increased their presence in the area.

Israeli air force bombarded the Gaza Strip killing at least six Palestinians and wounding some others, Thursday evening.

Palestinian medical sources said six were killed, three of which were leaders of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) in Al-Shu’outh area in Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

The shelling comes hours after a deadly attack that targeted two Israeli buses and two other vehicles in southern Israel killing seven Israelis and wounding around 31 others, one in critical condition.

The Palestine Information Center said the airstrike targeted the house of Abu Awad Al-Nairab, Secretary General of the PRC. He and Imad Hammad leader of Salah Eddin Brigade the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees and a third leader of PRC were killed in the strike.

Abu Mjuahid, spokesperson of Salah Eddin brigade, the armed wing of the PRC said that Israel opened the door for retaliation by bombarding Rafah.